Jaden Degiorgio, the son of convicted murderer George Degiorgio, was identified in court on Wednesday as the man who allegedly rented a garage in Żurrieq under a false name, where police subsequently discovered approximately 27.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and heroin concealed inside a modified van.
The identification emerged during the continuation of proceedings against Degiorgio, who is facing drug trafficking charges following a police investigation that led to the seizure of approximately 7.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 20 kilograms of suspected heroin.
During Wednesday's sitting, the owner of the Żurrieq garage, Father Dun Karm Busuttil, identified Degiorgio in the courtroom as the person who had approached him to rent the property in August, introducing himself as "Luke Cassar", the alleged brother of fellow suspect Konrad Cassar.
The court also heard testimony from police investigators and a forensic expert, who confirmed that DNA recovered from a pair of gloves discovered inside the Żurrieq garage matched Degiorgio's genetic profile.
However, under cross-examination, the defence questioned the police's identification procedures and why investigators failed to question Konrad Cassar's actual brother, despite the person renting the garage claiming to be him.
Police surveillance leads to Mellieħa arrests
Inspector John-Leigh Howard, the lead investigator from the Police Drug Squad, testified that the investigation began on 24 September after police received confidential information concerning a vehicle suspected of being involved in drug trafficking.
Investigators began monitoring a Volkswagen Golf driven by Konrad Cassar, which was followed to a compound in Naxxar.
Cassar subsequently emerged from the compound driving a pickup truck, which police continued to follow to a shipping compound in Ħaż-Żebbuġ.
According to the inspector, the vehicle later emerged carrying a wooden pallet box in its loading area.
Police continued monitoring the pickup as it travelled towards Mellieħa, eventually stopping near the Luna Hotel.
There, Cassar made contact with another man, later identified as Jaden Degiorgio.
The inspector explained that Cassar appeared to be showing Degiorgio how to operate parts of the vehicle, including its tailgate.
Degiorgio subsequently took control of the pickup and drove towards Triq L-Għarukaza in Mellieħa, while Cassar remained behind.
Police arrested Cassar and continued following the pickup, which eventually stopped outside a garage on Triq L-Għarukaza.
Degiorgio was arrested after exiting the vehicle
A search of the pickup revealed several items, including a yellow folder, gloves, cable ties, electrical tape, vehicle registration plates, licence discs, mobile phones, SIM cards, €500 in cash and a plastic bottle containing a clear liquid.
A blue motorcycle was also discovered inside the wooden pallet box in the back. However, subsequent examinations, including an X-ray of the motorcycle, revealed nothing of interest.
The inspector testified that searches involving Cassar resulted in the discovery of approximately 100 grams of suspected cocaine divided into four portions, together with approximately 600 grams of suspected heroin at his residence.
€5,000 cash and suspected heroin found in Degiorgio's Mazda
The court heard that investigators searched Degiorgio's Mazda on 25 September, the day after his initial arrest.
Inside the vehicle, officers discovered a brown envelope containing approximately €5,000 in cash, disposable gloves, gardening gloves and additional cash.
Investigators also recovered a red file containing documents relating to a vaping business Degiorgio had purchased, together with identification documents, a Revolut card, access documentation for the Malta Freeport and papers permitting visits to Corradino Correctional Facility. An empty packet of SIM cards was also recovered.
Police additionally discovered approximately 10 grams of a brown substance suspected to be heroin.
Inspector Howard told the court that this was the only suspected drug substance recovered in connection with Degiorgio during the searches described in his testimony.
Investigators also seized several blue pieces of machinery which were subsequently identified as components of a mechanical press.
Degiorgio exercised his right to silence during police questioning and was initially released on police bail while investigators continued examining electronic devices and other evidence.
Drugs discovered inside false compartment in Żurrieq garage
The investigation took a significant turn on 27 September when police received information concerning a garage in Żurrieq that was believed to have been rented by Konrad Cassar.
Investigators visited the property, where they discovered a forklift, wooden packaging materials and a van.
Inspector Howard explained that police found approximately 12 wooden packages stacked together, with their central sections cut out.
Investigators suspected that the modified wooden structures could have been used to conceal drugs entering Malta.
A packet of gloves and a box of vaping products were also discovered at the property.
Officers subsequently examined the van, which had no registration plates attached. An insurance document indicated that it had been registered under British plates.
Police noticed that the vehicle, which was supposed to have five seats, appeared smaller inside than expected.
Further examination revealed a false rear compartment
Inside the concealed space, investigators discovered two coolers containing approximately 7.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 20 kilograms of suspected heroin.
Police officer Mattia Borg, who also testified on Wednesday, explained that he had noticed the false compartment during the search and assisted in recovering the concealed packages.
Garage owner identifies Degiorgio as 'Luke Cassar'
One of the sitting's central moments came when Father Dun Karm Busuttil, the owner of the Żurrieq garage, took the witness stand.
Busuttil explained that he had advertised the garage for rent on Facebook Marketplace before being contacted by a man interested in leasing it.
The two arranged to meet on 8 August, when the prospective tenant viewed the property and explained that he intended to use it to store wood.
The man told Busuttil that he needed to consult his brother before proceeding with the rental agreement.
Later that day, he contacted the garage owner again and arranged to sign the contract.
According to Busuttil, the man introduced himself as Luke Cassar, claiming to be Konrad Cassar's brother.
The rental agreement was signed in Konrad Cassar's name, with the person identifying himself as Luke signing on his behalf.
The agreed rent was €700 per month, and two months' rent was paid.
Busuttil testified that he had specifically warned the tenant that the property could not be used for any unlawful activity.
He was also provided with two mobile telephone numbers, one belonging to ‘Luke’ and the other Konrad Cassar.
However, from the first week of September, Busuttil began repeatedly attempting to contact the tenant to check up on the garage, without receiving any response.
On 27 September, Inspector Howard contacted him about the property and requested a copy of the rental agreement.
The witness subsequently attended the police station, where he was asked to identify the person who had rented the garage.
Busuttil was shown photographs of nine men and selected Degiorgio as the person he knew as Luke Cassar.
He testified that the identification exercise was repeated three times, with the same person identified on each occasion.
During Wednesday's sitting, Busuttil was again shown the photographs before being asked whether he could recognise the person inside the courtroom.
Pointing towards Degiorgio, he declared: "That is Luke Cassar."
He reiterated that the person he had identified was the same individual who had signed the rental agreement.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Nicholas Mifsud and Leslie Cuschieri, Busuttil confirmed that the rental contract was formally concluded in Konrad Cassar's name and that the man introducing himself as Luke had merely signed on his behalf.
He also confirmed that he had handed a garage key to the man he knew as Luke Cassar.
When asked whether police had informed him that Luke Cassar was a false identity, the witness replied that they had not.
"I identified Luke Cassar straight away," he said, explaining that officers had simply asked him to identify the person who rented the property.
Defence questions police identification procedure
During cross-examination of Inspector Howard, defence lawyer Nicholas Mifsud challenged several aspects of the investigation, particularly the identification of Degiorgio as the alleged tenant.
The inspector confirmed that the original confidential information received by police concerned Konrad Cassar alone and made no reference to Degiorgio.
He also acknowledged that the identity of the confidential source was unknown even to him.
Mifsud questioned the circumstances surrounding the handover of the pickup in Mellieħa.
The inspector explained that officers were monitoring the exchange from an unmarked police vehicle approximately 100 metres away.
He said that although he observed Cassar speaking to Degiorgio and apparently explaining how to operate the pickup, police could not determine whether Degiorgio was carrying anything illegal at the time.
The defence also questioned whether investigators could establish ownership of the items discovered inside the vehicle.
Howard acknowledged that police could not determine who owned the items, although they were inside the vehicle while Degiorgio was in control of it.
Attention then turned to the photographic identification procedure involving the Żurrieq garage owner.
The inspector confirmed that Busuttil had been shown photographs of nine individuals within the same age group as Degiorgio.
The procedure was repeated three times, with the owner identifying Degiorgio on each occasion.
However, the inspector acknowledged that the inquiring magistrate had not been present during the identification exercise and that no face-to-face identification had been conducted at that stage.
Mifsud questioned why the identification exercise had focused on Degiorgio when the initial information concerning the Żurrieq garage had pointed towards Konrad Cassar.
The inspector explained that Degiorgio had already become involved in the wider investigation and that DNA evidence recovered from gloves inside the garage had subsequently linked him to the property.
The defence pressed the inspector on why police had not questioned Konrad Cassar's actual brother, given that the garage owner had been told the person renting the property was his brother.
Howard confirmed that investigators had not interviewed Konrad Cassar's brother.
When asked whether police could therefore establish whether Konrad's brother resembled Degiorgio, the inspector replied that he could not, having never seen him.
DNA evidence links Degiorgio to gloves recovered from garage
Forensic expert Marisa Cassar also testified, presenting her findings from DNA samples collected during the investigation.
She explained that several samples had been analysed and compared against genetic profiles belonging to Degiorgio and Konrad Cassar.
While one sample could not conclusively be attributed to Degiorgio, DNA recovered from a pair of gloves found inside the Żurrieq garage matched his profile.
The expert confirmed that the other samples examined did not match Degiorgio and that Konrad Cassar's DNA had not been identified in the samples tested.
Inspector Howard further testified that investigators had recovered a notebook from Degiorgio's Mazda containing details relating to the Żurrieq garage, including its location, the owner's telephone number and the name allegedly used when renting the property.
Investigators also noted that vaping products discovered inside the Żurrieq garage appeared to correspond to the brand and type referenced in documents recovered from Degiorgio's vehicle.
Following the forensic findings and continued examination of the evidence, Degiorgio returned to the police station on 9 October, when he was informed that he would remain under arrest.
Police officer questioned over further searches
Police Officer Mattia Borg, stationed with the Drug Squad, also testified about his involvement in the surveillance operation and subsequent searches.
He confirmed having followed the pickup carrying the wooden pallet box on 24 September and witnessing the handover in Mellieħa.
Borg also participated in the searches of the pickup, Degiorgio's Mazda and the van discovered inside the Żurrieq garage.
During cross-examination, the officer confirmed that he had not participated in any further searches after Degiorgio was initially granted police bail.
He also said he was unaware of any illegal substances having been found on Degiorgio's person.
The officer confirmed that the Mazda had been searched on 25 September and seized again on 9 October, when Degiorgio handed police the vehicle's keys.
However, Borg said he did not know whether any further search of the Mazda had been conducted after its second seizure.
The proceedings will continue on 26 October at 1pm.
Lawyers Nicholas Mifsud and Leslie Cuschieri are appearing for the defence.
Police inspectors John-Leigh Howard and Jonathan Pace prosecuted, together with Attorney General lawyer Maria Francesca Spiteri.
Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi presided over the compilation.